Dancing Through the Storm
by Elizabeth Gray
Summary: Clary was just a dancer who wanted an escape, Jace was a musician trying to make a living. The glass window of the studio brought them together as they ride out the inevitable storm holding on, only to each other WARNING: LEMON and LANGUAGE


**A/N: **Part II of my reuploads, sorry for the confusion over the messed up computer code! I am never copy and pasting a story in again!

Dancing Through the Storm

Clary believed in one strong thing- that was fate. She believed that time and destiny were intertwined into one miraculous moment. For her, it was better to believe in that than the fact that her father left because he didn't want her or her mother. It was better to believe in that than to believe that the sweet smoke hat came from her mother's bedroom door- her "sense of inspiration" was actually pot. It was better to believe that than to notice that she had no friends at school and was isolated and alone. She believed that fate is something that changes your life because if she didn't believe in fate…what else did she have to believe in?

The thing that changed her life came to her on a stormy afternoon. She could remember the condensation dripping from the windows as she strained to hear her neighbor's blasting music. She got up and stood unsteadily on her tip toes, giggling because she had absolutely no idea what she was doing. She took a deep breath and spun around and around.

There was that flutter in her stomach that grew stronger, an excitement that she had never felt before. She would pretend that she was in a dress of pink feathers- her favorite color at the time and twirled on the expanses of a stage and just for a moment, the dirty and cramped living room faded away into a thunderous applause.

"Why do you always smile when you dance?" Isabelle asked. Clary twirled one more time. Isabelle was the first friend she had made when they met each other at the college. Clary didn't have enough funds to go to college but Luke, the kind security guard let her use the dance studio and that's where she found Isabelle smoking a cigarette. Isabelle's loud and sarcastic nature fit right in with Clary's quiet and introverted demeanor.

"I just like to dance." Clary simply said. It was easier this way, feeling only her feet and her body shifting across the floor making shapes, feeling graceful as the world turns with you.

"Less talking, more dancing! I want to see that plie perfected by the end of today!" Madame Dorothea called. Clary still couldn't believe her luck sometimes. Madame Dorothea had found her idly spinning away in her studio.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Can you dance?" She asked. Clary immediately straightened herself as she blushed furiously.

"Err…sorry I'll just go, I'm not a student here." She started to rush past her.

"That is not the question I asked, answer the question I asked I do not like repeating myself." Clary stopped short and found Madame Dorothea studying her closely.

"Uhm…I've never had formal lessons before…so I'm not sure." Madame Dorothea nodded slowly as she walked to the center of the room.

"You're one of the humbler ones I see…Yes." She said finally. Clary furrowed her eyebrows.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Yes I will teach you. My name is Madame Dorothea and I teach dance here. You will meet me here every day at four after classes. I do not tolerate lateness and do not expect me to perform anything for you my energy has been used up by college frat boys." She turned and stepped briskly towards the door.

"Wait…why me?" Madame Dorothea stopped and turned.

"Because you care about dancing, you want to dance otherwise why would you be here every day?" Clary just stared at her in shock. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Point your toes!" Madame Dorothea yelled from her plush chair in the corner. Her feet were propped up on a small desk. Immediately, Clary pulled herself up on her toes, feeling the strain of the muscles. It was almost painful but Clary had to push, she was always pushing herself to the bare limits.

"Jeez don't you think she's worked you enough?" Isabelle snapped. She was always grumpy without her cigarettes and Madame Dorothea did not allow smoking in her studio. It clouds the mind and lungs and a dancer needs to be free of any restrictions…she said. "Old crone, won't let me smoke in here." She muttered.

"Ms. Lightwood, might I remind you that before you start calling me names, you do realize that your parents could receive a notification that you mysteriously disappear whenever classes start." Isabelle's lips stretched to a thin line as she tried not to lash out. Isabelle was sent here to get herself clean, get her on the right track and if her parents hear about her skipping….they'd pull her funds and that would mean the end of the extravagant shopping sprees for Isabelle Lightwood.

Instead Isabelle just huffed and stared out the window. Clary continued to bend and leap, biting her lip, her brows furrowed with concentration. Isabelle gasped, grabbing Clary's arm almost toppling her.

"He's here!" She exclaimed. Clary couldn't help but smiled- he's here.

He is perched every day on the curb with that keyboard of his. His blonde curls would cover his forehead and he bent down, playing. He was beautiful when he played, his muscles tensed as the fast melody ran through the streets and relaxed, his golden skin stood out in the background of the gray cement. He never looked up when he played, not even when people dumped money into his case. Clary wished she could see his eyes, see how they gleamed when he played, his body swaying with the beat.

"Open the window would you?" Clary could hear the satisfied smile in Madame Dorothea's voice, she loved his music too. Clary managed to wedge the upper half of the window walls open and the cold breeze touched her skin through her tights. It didn't bother her, in fact it felt even more electrifying as the breeze pulled in, pushing her.

The music filled the studio and Clary smiled and closed her eyes as she allowed the world to melt away. She could feel herself twirling and leaping, her spins fast and then slowing that the melody reached a bridge. She could feel only her muscles, hear only his music and her consciousness sensed the notes as in her word, for the moment the only thing that existed was her body, the music and the beautiful boy playing it. The music faded away as Clary opened her eyes.

"Now that is what I want to see in you Clary." Madame Dorothea said with approval in her voice but Clary was staring out the window at the boy…because he was staring back.

"Gold." She whispered.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

She was dancing again. She looked beautiful when she danced, her willowy form topped off with her fiery, red hair were indistinct features against the stark white wall of the studio. She never opened her eyes when she danced and Jace would have loved to see the color of them, see how the glowed as she danced, free and unburdened. His fingers couldn't help but follow her motions, speeding when she spun and slowing as she landed. Her feet barely touched the ground.

She was the thing he looked forward to most, not his crappy one bedroom apartment and definitely not his father's phone calls wondering where the hell he went no, it was the complete and utter sereneness on her features as she danced. It reminded him of something that he once had, freedom, innocence.

He noticed the other people as well, the old woman sitting in the corner and the raven haired girl who always seemed to be staring at him but his focus was always the red head. He didn't even know her name. She was probably some rich girl whose parents had enough money to send her to Alicante, who was living in luxury and off of dreams. He could see her muscles straining as she pushed herself harder and harder, as she flew. She slowed as she landed and bent herself, reached her arms to the left. She looked weightless and flowing. Then he allowed himself to stop.

The old woman was saying something but Jace didn't notice what as he was staring in…because she was staring at him.

"Green." He whispered.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Clary pushed the door open as she left practice. It was winter so the sun had already set leaving a black sky rumbling overhead. She shuddered as she walked quickly down the street. The bars were all lit up and lively around her. Bars meant drunken men and drunken men at night….Clary shook her head as she walked faster for once in her life eager to get home to her passed out mother. She wrapped her trench coat around herself even more as she crossed the street.

She turned the corner and stopped short, seeing the group of men loitering there. She tried to turn around and walk away unnoticed but unfortunately luck wasn't on her side. They all turned around and noticed her. They grinned at her and started to get up.

Clary's breathing sped as she quickly turned around. She could feel their gaze on her, hear their footsteps trailing her. She blinked away the stinging in her eyes, no time to cry. Crying would only disorient her and she needed all of her sense. Her brain ran into panic mode as she walked even faster, nearly sprinting now. She turned the corner and swallowed a scream as she bumped into someone.

"Shh…it's me what are you doing here?" She was enveloped in the smell of leather, mint and metal. She looked up to meet golden eyes, it was him.

"T-they're following me." She whispered. Jace glanced behind her, his face darkening.

"I can see that." He quickly pushed her behind me and faced her, his frame and the building hiding her from sight. Clary held her breath as they passed, she could see Jace's arms tighten. They passed with only confused murmurs as Clary exhaled with relief.

"Thank you." She said. Jace coughed awkwardly. He wasn't used to being told thank you. He wasn't used to being looked at with grateful eyes.

"Do- do you want me to walk you home?" He asked. Clary bit her lip, she was afraid of what lay in the dark but still she didn't want him to be held down by her.

"I wouldn't want to impose." Jace shook his head.

"No, it's fine really." They walked down the street. Clary was different than any other girl Jace had met, she didn't try to feel him up or make a move on him. She just walked beside him, occasionally looking up and smiling when their eyes met. Shit, he couldn't even understand why she would want to hang around him anyway. He was just some random kid who played on the curb to make some extra money.

"You recognize me don't you?" She finally said. Her voice was quiet, barely breaking the silence of the night.

"What?" He asked.

"You said 'it's me' remember? You recognize me." He could hear the smile in her voice. Why was she so happy that he recognized her? He was nobody.

"How could I not?" He said. "You're a really good dancer." He added after a moment of silence. Clary laughed and shrugged.

"Madame Dorothea does her best with me." They stopped at a rickety old apartment building that Jace was sure would topple at the next gust. He almost wanted to ask if she had gotten the right address but then she pulled out a key and opened the door. She stopped short.

"My name's Clary by the way..I mean not that you would care- but I don't think that you- I'm probably just some random-"

"My name's Jace." Involuntarily his lips quirked into a smile at her blush.

"Right…Jace…goodnight." She raced in and slammed the door, covering her awful blush.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Seriously, dad is going nuts over where you are." Sebastian's voice filtered through the phone in a series of static. Jace cursed as he slammed the phone into his palm.

"Well he should've thought of that before he disowned me." Jace said as he struggled to set up his stand. It was a regular thing now. He and Clary had a system. He would play a flurry of notes and she would dance in frenzy to them. She would laugh at the end and glance out the window- their secret.

He would then meet her after practice. At first it was just silence and Clary's damn blushes but after forever, she finally started to open up. She told him about her mom's addiction, about her dad's abandonment and Jace thought he had a fucked up childhood. Her favorite colors were the mixed ones on her mother's painting boards. Something beautiful that came out of something so ugly. She believe in fate.

"Seriously? You believe that shit?" Jace snorted as he sat back with his crappy cup of coffee. Clary swatted at him.

"It is not shit! Fate brings everything together, places, people, time…how do you think I met you?" She smiled that super secret smile at him.

What was bad was that he started telling her about himself too. He told her about his mother dying, about he tattooed himself with black runes and how his father kicked him out with nothing after that. She didn't seem fazed as he told her about his promiscuity or his isolation and that was something he had never experienced- a constant. What was worse was hat he was developing feelings for her- deep feelings, he was falling for her.

"Aren't you going to offer a lady a seat?" Jace looked up to find Madame Dorothea raising an eyebrow at him.

"Uhh..Seb? I'll call you back." He didn't wait for a response as he hung up and offered his seat. Madame Dorothea sat stiffly on it.

"I would like you to do me a favor and I do not usually ask for favors so it would be rather nice if you would perform this one for me."

"Wait…why me?" Madame Dorothea's lips almost turned into a smile.

"You have talent and endurance. You sit here on the curb every day playing to those who do not listen. And don't think I don't notice those glances you and Clarissa share. I would rather her mind be in the same room as I am, a dancer needs to be focused and I'm afraid with her eyes wandering out the window at you, her distractions are quite reasonable…" She looked Jace up and down and he quickly looked away. "Yet they are still distractions." He sighed.

"What do you need me to do?

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Something was different when Clary walked in. A key board was set up in the corner. She walked over to it and pressed two keys, wincing at the awkward combination.

"You know I can teach you how to play better than that." She turned around.

"Jace? You're playing?"

"Yes Jonathan will be our musician today. So your mind will be here rather than staring at him." Jace smirked as Clary looked away. "Now let us commence." Madame Dorothea clapped her hands.

Dancing with Jace in the room was so much more different. Clary could feel the notes reverberate through her as she moved. Each note struck a muscle and caused it to move. As it sped, so did Clary her mind making her muscles contract a million times a minute. She could feel herself lower to the floor and then sway herself back up like water, like air, no chains, no responsibilities just Jace's music guiding her. Madame Dorothea's voice was quick intervals in the darkness, fading quickly as her body automatically did what she said.

She stretched her arms up, worshipping the light, the air that brought her to a leap and then a graceful bend and the music faded. Clary opened her eyes, panting with adrenaline.

"Shit…"Isabelle said, "That was fucking great Clary." Madame Dorothea nodded.

"Yes, you two are one of the most unusual pairs I have ever seen. The dancer moves to the music and vise versa. Balance is what drives the dancer's dance, it is not coercion or force it is grace and that is what you two have. That is why you will be performing at the Idris Theater." Clary snapped her up meet her gaze.

"What?" She breathed.

"Yes, I talked to a friend and he is willing to allow you to perform."

"Why wasn't I told this?" Clary backed away, Madame Dorothea raised a eyebrow.

"Your talent is great, why can you not share it with the world?" Clary shook her head.

"No, no I can't! I can't do this!" With that she ran out.

The cold stung her skin as she wandered the streets. She couldn't bring herself to go home. A hand suddenly gasped her arm.

"Would you mind telling me what the hell that was all about?" She sighed. Jace, it was always Jace.

"Just leave me alone."

"No not until I find out what's wrong." Clary shook her head, letting her tears fall.

"I'm scared." She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling more vulnerable than ever. The skies rumbled, threatening to rain. Jace sighed and wrapped his leather jacket around her.

"Come on, I'll bring you home."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Jace's place was surprisingly neat, neater than Clary was comfortable with but with Jace sitting next to her, she felt a lot better.

"So is this a stage fright thing or something?" He asked. She laughed and shook her head.

"No it's just….dancing has never been something to live off of. Waitressing, shelving books, that's what I live off of. I survive, dancing is just something to get me through and now…that's going to change. It might be something so much more."

"So? What's wrong with that?" She shook her head.

"What if I mess up?" Jace snorted.

"That's stupid. Excuse me for missing the part where you could tell the future but you don't know that for sure. That's just like saying 'what if ten years from now I make dinner and it tastes bad?'" Clary laughed at his analogy and wiped her eyes.

"Yea it sounds stupid but I'm just scared to change I guess."

"Hey, you're not going to change. You're always going to be the same red pipsqueak I met." She laughed.

"Thanks…" She buried her face in her hands. "Ugh, God I can't believe I ran out, I'm so stupid."

"You're never stupid, you just do stupid things." She rolled her eyes.

"Thanks." She said. She reached over and intertwined his fingers. "Thank you Jace." She was looking at him with the same eyes she did when he saved her.

"For what?" She shrugged.

"Just for you." Clary cleared her throat and looked down. "I- I should probably go." Jace got up to let her out when Clary turned around and bumped into his chest. She breathed in his scent and closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her.

"You could stay you know." She nodded slowly. She looked up to find his eyes staring at her with burning intensity. He leaned down slowly and then Clary made up her mind in that second. She met him halfway as her lips connected with his. The delicious electricity that ran through her made her groan and she pulled her closer. He lifted her up, running his hands up and down her back. Clary pulled away, catching her breath as Jace planted kisses up and down the thin skin of her neck.

She ran her fingers through his golden hair, every part of him was gold and he was all hers. Jace carried her to the bed and laid her down on top of the covers. His fingers danced along the hem of her shirt as Clary nodded, granting his access. She closed her eyes, feeling his gaze feast on the newly discovered body. Jace explored her with his fingertips and lips, marveling at the soft and unblemished skin.

Clary hesitantly slipped her hands under his shirt, opening her palms on his back, feeling the firmness there. She pulled it off of him. Her breath hitching at his torso. The pants came off next until the only thing that stood between them were her panties and his boxers. Clary's head was racing a mile a minute, interpreting all these new sensations. Pleasure mounted but it was always tailed by the nervousness and inexperience. She wanted to scold herself, this was Jace. This was Jace she was doing it with. He met her gaze as he traced the hem of her panties. It was always going to be Jace. Clary placed her hands over his as she took them off herself.

She could feel herself blushing and opened her eyes when Jace reached up to stroke her face. He leaned down, close to her ear.

"I love you Clarissa Fray in this lifetime and the next." Clary smiled, holding him against her. Yes, this was Jace. All barriers were thrown away as he prepared himself at her entrance. She pulled him close and placed a single kiss on his lips.

"I love you too." With those words he pushed himself in and Clary braced herself for the inevitable pain. She dug her hands into his shoulder blades and breathed in quick increments. Jace gently wiped the tears off of her face. He had tried to be gentle, treating every inch of skin like china but he couldn't stop this pain. He whispered what he felt for her, those words going only to her and no one else.

Clary moved her hips and moaned quietly as spasms of pleasure ran through her. Jace then moved. Their bodies intertwined with each other, taking a part of each other as the danced together, in the heat of the moment, a grace of the ages. Clary clutched him to her, them being their only constants in the world as they experienced the fall together. He slid out of her and pulled her under the covers. Clary smiled at him with half hooded eyes as she nimbly moved her fingers to trace his tattoos. Jace kissed her head, feeling lighter than ever before with her in his arms. Clary drifted to space wrapped up in Jace's arms. Her last image was of the musty window covered with condensation…just like when she first danced.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Clary didn't even notice the crowd until she went into her bow, her arms touching the smooth, black, polished wood of the stage. She had been lost in the rhythm of her movements, in the flowing speed and grace that accompanied her to her high. When the thunderous applause reached her, the images of pink feathered dresses melted away and the ovation of the crowd took her attention.

She allowed her expression to morph into one of surprise, still not believing where she was- performing at the Idris Theater. She laughed breathlessly and blush as she bowed, her short, silky dress brushing her arms. She could see Madame Dorothea standing up and applauding with a knowing glint in her eyes, Isabelle whooping with her family standing behind her looking appreciatively at her over the op support, her mother staring at Clary with amazement.

But most importantly was the man behind the piano. He sat staring at her, pride in his eyes. He was the man that fate had brought her to, that destiny entwined her with and that time allowed them to be together. He was the man who brought her high and with him, she could handle anything fate could throw at her for he was the man who helped her through the storm.


End file.
